Hanna Ding
Hanna Ding was an Arkanian girl who attended the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and became a Padawan as the Clone Wars raged throughout the galaxy. As the war started, Hanna served in the rank of Commander in the Grand Army of the Republic. Possessing a natural acrobatic ability, Hanna supplemented this skill with the Force. She could often be found practicing leaping high into the air and gently floating back down to the ground. Biography A Force-sensitive female Arkanian, Hanna Ding hailed from the world of Arkania and joined the Jedi Order at a very young age. Living at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Hanna started her training as an Initiate, and learned the ways of the Force. At the academy there, Ding was graceful and particularly fond of lightsaber combat as opposed to grappling, but her methods be predictable. After she graduated from the academy, Ding became a Padawan to a Jedi Master. However, when the Clone Wars erupted between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the year 22 BBY, Ding was stationed at the Temple where she managed construct a green-bladed lightsaber. After been promoted to the rank of Commander in the Grand Army of the Republic, Ding secretly feared that one day she would die outside the Temple's walls on the battlefield. At the age of fourteen, Ding participated in the Jedi Temple Apprentice Tournament, administrated by Jedi Master Ilena Xan. Ding was openly critical of fellow Padawan Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy, claiming that she was using unorthodox trickery and was manipulating the rules. In the second round of the Tournament, was pitted against Enwandung-Esterhazy, fighting the dark. Ding refused to give into her frustration when her opponent repeatedly attempted to deceive her, and ended up being kicked in the chest. Hanna and Scout’s match was no different. The pair’s second round fight was fought in total darkness except for the illumination of the Jedis’ lightsabers. The commencement of the match was signaled by the drop of a red handkerchief. Due to Scout’s limited ability in the Force, she had no way of telling when the handkerchief was dropped in total darkness, which gave Hanna the advantage. Leaping in high from above, Hanna began the match with a direct lightsaber assault. Due to Scout’s paucity of Force talent, she had to rely on her wits to help her through the tournament, and her match with Hanna was no different. She stretched the rules of the game using the audience and even Master Xan herself as defensive barriers. At that moment, Enwandung-Esterhazy grabbed her lightsaber blade, which was set at a low setting, and managed to get Ding in a strangle hold, forcing the Arkanian to surrender. Ding was then eliminated from the competition. In 19 BBY, the final year of the war, Hanna was stationed at the Temple when Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, who was in fact the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, immediately executed Order 66 which branded all Jedi as traitors to the Republic and called for their immediate execution without question or hesitation. After Anakin Skywalker had fallen to the dark side and became Darth Vader, Sidious dispatched his new apprentice to lead the 501st Legion to raid the Temple and eliminate all the Jedi. After Vader killed Gate Master Jurokk, Hanna and all the Jedi engage the Sith Lord and all the clone troopers that raided the Temple. However, Hanna was killed during the terrible massacre in the Jedi Temple, which marked the beginning of the Great Jedi Purge. Appearances *''Yoda: Dark Rendezvous'' Sources *''The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia'' *''The Essential Reader's Companion'' Category:Arkanians Category:Females Category:Jedi Commanders Category:Jedi Padawans of the Old Jedi Order Category:Victims of the Great Jedi Purge